


Bitter Coffee, Not the Person

by ruibin (angsthao)



Category: NINE PERCENT (Band), 偶像练习生 | Idol Producer (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Cheating, Light Angst, M/M, Post-Break Up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-05
Updated: 2018-06-05
Packaged: 2019-05-18 12:27:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14852735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angsthao/pseuds/ruibin
Summary: Xukun has an unwanted visitor at his workplace.Zhengting just wants to explain himself, but it doesn’t go well.





	Bitter Coffee, Not the Person

**Author's Note:**

> i finally managed to access my sticky notes with au prompts and coffeeshop au is one! i was originally going for mufen but i think that zhengkun kinda fits angst more hehe :-)) i hope you guys enjoy, comments and kudos are appreciated!!
> 
> also, here's my [twitter](http://twitter.com/ruwuibins) (that i currently set on private for time being)

It is currently  peak hours at Starbucks.

Customers have been coming in and out of the establishment since lunch, and Xukun hasn’t had any break since. He has been listing down orders and preparing everyone’s snacks and drinks. His two co-workers aren’t of much help either since they’re both new to the job. He has been used to this system, to exhaust himself until he feels that he will sleep right when he goes home.

After serving a Chocolate Chip Cream Frappuccino to a teenager, Xukun goes back to the cashier and sees someone he doesn’t want to see at all.

 

“Good afternoon sir, may I take your order,” Xukun asks without batting an eyelash.

“Do you have the latest Cold Foam Iced Espresso,” the customer asks. “And oh, can I excuse you from your shift?”

“I’m sorry sir, but the espresso you’re asking for isn’t available yet at this branch,” he replies. “And no, I’m not allowed to take breaks right now.”

“Come on, Xukun. This is important!”

“Zhu Zhengting, you may leave the counter if you have nothing else to order. There’s a line behind you.”

Zhengting, the person Xukun does not want to see at all, groans. “Fine, I’ll wait for you until you can have your break. I’ll order Caffè Americano then.”

 

Xukun processes Zhengting’s order without a word. After giving Zhengting’s receipt, he goes back to attending to other customers in front of the cashier. Zhengting, on the other hand, finds a seat near the window and observes Xukun from his place.

After another hour of serving people, Xukun finally gets to have his break. He fixes himself and goes to Zhengting right after his (new) co-worker (who came in) substitutes in his place.

 

“What do you want?” Xukun asks right when he arrives to Zhengting’s seat.

“Xukun, can we talk?”

“If this is about us, then I’m sorry I won’t be entertaining you anymore.”

“But hear me out,” Zhengting pleads. “You never listen to my explanations at all.”

Xukun finally sits down in front of Zhengting. “Zhengting, I saw you cheating on me. I saw you having sex with Ziyi right at his place. What else do you need to explain?”

“Look, I was drunk that time!” Zhengting insists.

“Don’t lie, you looked sober that night. You were aware that I saw both of you having sex.”

“But hear me out, please? Can we still fix this?”

“I don’t know if I could give you what I want, Zhengting. I trusted you right from the beginning that you’ll never commit infidelity to me. You  _ promised _ . And then I see you having sex with Ziyi, my own friend? Since when have you been hiding this to me?”

Zhengting sighs. “Fine, I’m sorry. We started recently.”

“But why,” Xukun asks, trying not to break down in front of Zhengting. “I’ve been so good to you, what went wrong?”

 

Zhengting can’t find what went wrong. He tries to think about it in the corners of his mind to no avail. He tries to form sentences that will make sense, but in the end he can only form broken phrases that don’t make sense at all.

Xukun patiently waits for his answer, no matter how painful it will sound. He looks at Zhengting for an answer, but he doesn’t get any. He tries to recall what went wrong with them, but as far as he remembers they were pretty much fine.

 

“You’re just bitter about this,” Zhengting spits out as if he’s not the one pleading to explain himself.

Xukun chuckles. “The bitter thing here is coffee, not me. I have the right to question you what happened because you cheated on me.”

Zhengting sighs and admits defeat. “I’m sorry, I couldn’t think of any other reason except from me. I don’t deserve you or your kindness at all. We should’ve broken up earlier.”

“Zhengting,” Xukun calls him, barely audible, “did you fall out of love with me?”

All Zhengting can do was nod.

Xukun sighs. “We’re not meant for each other then.”

 

They both fall silent after. Zhengting regrets, but he can’t pinpoint if it is because he cheated on Xukun or because he fell out of love with Xukun. He feels sorry that he took Xukun’s kindness for granted. He lowers his head down. He can’t find any other word to tell Xukun how sorry he is except for silence.

Xukun doesn’t say a word either. He lets the words sink in, that Zhengting fell out of love with him. He tries his best not to cry not only because Zhengting is there but because he’s still at work. He tries to find the right words he can tell to Zhengting, but nothing comes in his mind.

 

Xukun takes a deep breath and says, “I’m going back to work now. I don’t think I can stay any longer with you from now on. You can ask my co-workers if you need anything, otherwise you can leave already.”

Zhengting looks at him, his expression being a mix of accepting that Xukun won’t entertain him anymore and begging that Xukun will stay with him.

Xukun smiles sadly. “Your coffee is cold already. I’m leaving now.”

 

Xukun goes back to work without any word.

Zhengting remains, looking at the cold coffee.

 

He cries after holding it in for long.


End file.
